Polished versus autoglazed dental porcelain

This study compared the finishes on dental porcelain polished with four different polishing paste systems with oven reglazing and with a porcelain adjustment kit without a polishing paste. The polished/reglazed samples were rated according to quality of finish by independent observers and by scanning electron microscopy. On the basis of visual examination, two of the polishing paste systems tested were found to produce a surface equal to or better than oven glazing. On the basis of SEM examination, oven glazing was found to produce a better surface than the other polishing methods. Not all porcelain polishing systems produce a surface comparable to oven-glazed porcelain, and porcelain polishing systems should be chosen carefully.